TSF Components
While humanity accumulated a wealth of data from their early engagements with the BETA and used it to refine their tactics, Tactical Surface Fighter manufacturers slaved to improve their fighting machines both in software and hardware. An army can have the best tactics and pilots in the world, but a better machine undoubtedly forms the other half of the equation, and the hardware and software components listed here have been refined over years of attrition warfare with the BETA. Anti-Laser Countermeasures Anti-laser countermeasures can either refer to a warning system for TSFs, a surface coating on its frame, or, in the cases of offensive uses, a grouping of different technologies that aim to reduce the effectiveness of Laser- and Heavy Laser-class BETA in the heat of combat. Most modern TSFs have been given an anti-laser warning system that will allow them to detect when they are being tracked by a Laser-class BETA. The short window of time that the system allows often determines a successful dodging maneuver by the pilot, or the TSF being shot down. Physical anti-laser countermeasures can be grouped into two main groups; coatings and heavy metal fragments. All TSFs and certain combat vehicles are outfitted with anti-laser coating to improve their durability against laser attacks; however, even the latest of such a technology is only viable for three seconds, and any exposure longer than that will burn through the coating. Heavy metal fragments are an example of offensive-use anti-laser countermeasures; these are commonly found as warheads of various make and sizes, and can be equipped on TSF-deployable platforms or fired by a range of larger vehicles. Their effectiveness as a countermeasure depends on the Laser-class successfully intercepting such warheads to vaporise their material into a dense metallic particle cloud, diffusing further laser attacks and vastly reducing the range and power of the BETA's vaunted Laser-/Heavy Laser-class BETA. These are not foolproof, however; as the could diffuses with time, the power and range of a fired laser will increase, and should a particle cloud prove to be of insufficient density, a laser can still burn through to hit a target behind with lethal force. For an example of an unorthodox anti-laser countermeasure, refer to the Rutherford Field. Carbon Construction Artificial carbon materials are part of the Unlimited/Alternative world's space exploration program. Such materials have been the base of many of humanity's technological breakthroughs, allowing for a vehicle to be constructed lighter than similarly-sized contemporaries while having equal or greater durability. Even the internal systems of TSFs use advanced carbonic actuators and electricity-powered malleable carbon bands combined with traditional joint systems to provide greater power, speed, and durability during movement. A specific offshot of this is Super Carbon, an advanced construction and armor material developed by the United States in 1956 as part of the "Hope II" large orbital station program. This unubiquitous material plays a key role in the construction of vehicles and technology such as spacecraft and TSFs; it has been used in the construction of TSF frames to Jump Units, external and supplemental armour, bladed weapons and the aerodynamic control surfaces and armor components of modern TSFs; artificial carbon materials used in the construction of TSF frames and weapons are also known as Super Carbon. Although impressively strong compared to conventional construction materials, super carbon is still susceptible to damage from BETA physical and laser attacks and typical human weapons such as Assault Cannons. Combat Hypnosis As its name suggests, the system is a hypnotic suggestion program installed into a TSF. The system can be remotely activated by other pilots of greater rank that the recieving person, allowing senior pilots acting as unit leaders to affect the mental state of others. When used in conjunction with drugs and stimulants injected into a pilot's body, this can cause pilots to calm down and/or become more agressive in combat. While there may be advantages to the system, hypnotic suggestion has its own downsides, which include an impaired capability for long-term judgement and an overly-aggressive behavior detrimental to the hypnotized pilot's safety. Jamming Capabilities Jamming capabilities are part of a TSF's radar and sensor systems, with such abilities being more prominent in TSFs produced after or upgraded from first-generation models. Apart from breaking up wireless communication and tracking capabilities of enemy units, variants of this technology exists that allows a TSF to mask its electronic signature by introducing radar noise, preventing the enemy from accurately detecting its opponent. As an example, the F-22A's electronic systems can jam communication lines that have not been registered as those of allied forces, and the F-4J is equipped with the Noisemaker, an ECM device that clutters the area with radar noise to mask allied approach signatures on enemy radar. Operation By Wire Operation By Wire (OBW) is a system that introduces a computer processing system with coded presets into the operating system of the TSF's controls to prevent accidents and help stabilize the TSF during operation; the system's name is a reference to the significant amount of addtional wiring. OBW allows TSFs to auto-correct unintended maneuvers that would otherwise cause the machine in question to crash, fall down, or impact a surface/obstacle unintentionally. This system is not foolproof however, and should not be treated as a substitute for actual combat maneuvers. Its real-world equivalent is Fly By Wire. Operation By Light An evolution of OBW, Operation By Light (OBL) is a system whereby inputs by the pilot are converted to light signals transmitted by optical fiber cables rather than the electronic signals transmitted by wires used in OBW. The advantages of OBL over OBW include greater speed and bandwidth of data transmission, reduced weight, increased resistance to electromagnetic and heat damage, and greater ease of maintanence. OBL is a defining characteristic of third-generation TSFs; its resistance to electromagnetic inteference allows a TSF equipped as such to operate near or directly use advanced weaponry, an example being a charged particle cannon. Its real-world equivalent is Fly By Optics. Sub-Arm A distinct system from the Mount Pylon, the Sub-Arm is an additional system to a TSF for added mobility of its parts. The Type-74 Mount Pylon, for instance, is equipped with a sub-arm system to allow it to reload mounted guns without a TSF having to manually reload the weapon by grabbing an ejected magazine from the TSF's ammunition holster. A TSF's shoulder armor blocks are also operated by sub-arm systems, which allow the TSF to move its limbs with greater flexibility or enter storage in a more compact form, and later TSFs use sub-arm systems for their Jump Units to allow for greater mobility by using thrust-vectoring. XM3 A new general production TSF Operating System based on the prototype OS and computer processor upgrades developed by Kouzuki Yuuko, Shirogane Takeru, Yashiro Kasumi, as well as nameless, faceless Alternative IV developers. It allows Eishi to perform movements and maneuvers that are usually impossible due to the restrictions placed on the TSF to prevent damage (by providing the option to circumvent automated posturing or reactions such as falling, boosting, or landing recovery; a technique referred to as "canceling"). Additionally, it records posturing commands the Eishi tends to favor, compares them against thought patterns normally recorded by the Eishi's armored suit, and automatically selects and executes statistically suitable commands from this data set (analogous to video game adaptive "combos"). This integrates with the standard TSF data link such that, in addition to sharing regular telemetry and communications, TSFs within a squad now sync their posturing analysis; effectively sharing combo's as well as individual Eishi mannerisms. Many fans have the misconception that XM3 is a miracle OS which can make anyone into a skilled pilot. This is an exaggeration; all XM3 does is allow more freedom and ease of movement. It does however make TSFs much easier to operate, according to Professor Kouzuki (presumably referring to its accumulating and automating a library of posturing recorded by other users, while still managing to increase the sensitivity of the TSF's Pilot Systems for finer movement control). To borrow a real world example, it could be compared to a functional predictive text feature long sought after in word processing devices: analyzing a user's habits to speed up text entry, overwrite mistakes while maintaining the option for manual override, and syncing with other devices to expand its accumulated library of textual data. It will not however, automatically make the user an instant Shakespeare. Category:Hardware and Technology Category:Alternative Category:Browse